Banning Free Speech to Save Free Speech? Ithaca bans Confederate Flag to save "learning proces"

Federal Review ^ | Saturday, April 08, 2006

[Behind Liberal Lines]

ITHACA, NY-Ithaca school officials have banned the display of Confederate flag insignia, including on clothing and backpacks.

School officials claimed that the flag caused "ill will" among the students and "disruptions...of the educational process."

Officials warn that students who "refuse to remove or cover up images of the flag will be disciplined, probably for insubordination," the Journal says.

"'We need to shift the focus for kids back on learning,'" School Superintendent Judith Pastel said.

This is not the first time that Ithaca schools have banned clothing in an effort to alleviate racial tensions. In 2004, the school banned children from wearing camouflage hunting clothing, claiming such clothing was "racist."

Paradoxically, the school allows African-American and Hispanic students to wear "ethnic pride" sashes at its graduation ceremonies.

Some critics may worry that Ithaca will next ban the American flag from its schools. The school boasts of having students from "wildly divergent backgrounds," and it would not be surprising to have some students argue the U.S. colors are "offensive" to their ethnic or political sensibilities.

Furthermore, such a move would not be unprecedented in the city. In 2004, the police chief reportedly ordered the American flag's removal from the department uniform.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Ithaca is the City of Evil.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

City of Evil bump:

[freepatriot32]

ping

[Spirochete]

the school banned children from wearing camouflage hunting clothing, claiming such clothing was "racist."

Yep, liberalism is a mental disease.

[RegulatorCountry]

Well, surely this is just a symbolic "banning," as I have great difficulty imagining that any descendant of a Confederate soldier would be caught dead in that town. But, there no doubt are students there, who descend from Union soldiers, and they should be able to commemorate their ancestors' sacrifice in the manner of their choosing, without interference from idiotic "change agents" and social engineering nincompoops.

[texassizednightcrawler]

I never realized that NY is a southern state.

[RegulatorCountry]

Were there "Copperheads" in NY?

[darkwing104]

I never realized that NY is a southern state.

The I-95 Section of Southern Florida is called lower New York in the winter time.

[RegulatorCountry]

The rural areas of central PA have been called Northern Alabama.

[bourbon]

ping.

[Chode]

just more jizzmoglobbin from the Peoples DemocRATic Republic of Ithaca EVIL!!!

[billbears]

"'We need to shift the focus for kids back on learning,'" School Superintendent Judith Pastel said.

Well of course Judith. Can't have them learning about Southern history, or that 'governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness'. Better to have them 'learn' subservience to the State right?

Officials warn that students who "refuse to remove or cover up images of the flag will be disciplined, probably for insubordination," the Journal says.

What I wouldn't give for one student, one student to stand up for their rights. These bans against all things Southern are being challenged, successfully I might add. The fact that this is apparently becoming an issue in union territory is rather suprising. But a pleasant turn of events.

[stand watie]

YES, there were MANY.

"copperheads" were/ARE loved & cherished by all true southons!

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

IF just one student DOES challange this ban, then we'll win another case against the brainDEAD bureaucrats!

free dixie,sw

[popdonnelly]

"the school banned children from wearing camouflage hunting clothing, claiming such clothing was "racist."

???? This could only make sense to a university administrator.

[popdonnelly]

"I never realized that NY is a southern state."

I lived in several different parts of NY for 28 years, and I can't recall ever seeing anyone displaying a Confederate flag. Must be those transfer students from Mississippi.

[MamaB]

What are they so afraid of?

[popdonnelly]

Heard this version about 40 years ago:

High above Cayuga's waters,
There's a noxious smell.
Some say it's Cayuga's waters.
We say it's Cornell!

[stainlessbanner]

dixieping

[stainlessbanner]

the police chief reportedly ordered the American flag's removal from the department uniform.

The Confederate flag is American history; looks like an anti-American bias here.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Ithaca is well known for having an anti-American bias

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1440164/posts

[wardaddy]

Ithaca is a moonbat haven.

[stand watie]

NOPE. it would make PERFECT SENSE to ANY DAMNyankee/REVISIONIST/LEFTIST lunatic, as they are HATERS. (only 10-15% of northerners are DAMNyankees, but they are REALLY loudmouthed & filled with HATRED!)

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

GA, Ma'am! (said with groundward sweep of plumed, GRAY, slouch hat.)

you are, as usual, CORRECT!

they are afraid of TRUTH.

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

dixie FREEDOM bump!

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

dixie FREEDOM bump!

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

WELL SAID!

free dixie,sw

[youthgonewild]

That ban on people sporting a Confederate flag is ridiculous. Colleges should be supporting free speech, not stifling it and allowing "acceptable free speech". If someone wants to show himself to be a straight up hick in ITHACA, NEW YORK by having that flag on their person, let him do so, it is he who will be subject to the rightful verbal abuse of his classmates.

[rustbucket]

If someone wants to show himself to be a straight up hick in ITHACA, NEW YORK by having that flag on their person, let him do so, it is he who will be subject to the rightful verbal abuse of his classmates.

Is that your definition of hick? Perhaps you might enlighten us with what you think is appropriate verbal abuse.

[ml/nj]

I think anything Islamic creates "ill will," and could cause "disruptions...of the educational process."

Could we ban that too?

ML/NJ

[Behind Liberal Lines]

That ban on people sporting a Confederate flag is ridiculous. Colleges should be supporting free speech, not stifling it and allowing "acceptable free speech".

This isn't a college, it is a public school, meaning this is government censorship.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

This could only make sense to a university administrator.

This isn't a college, it is a public school, meaning this is government censorship.

[Colt .45]

Just more of the leftist PC garbage being spewed out in the name of "diversity". The way I see it is, if someone is offended by what I'm wearing, or what I'm saying, they can either look the other way or put in the ear plugs.

The amazing thing is is that there are too many stupid Americans who fall for this garbage and, as long as they do there is some elitist group of nitwits who will keep pushing that agenda. And our civil liberties are eroded further.

We who believe in freedom of speech must make our stand. And I for one am damn proud to do so.

But then we are talking about Noo Yawk aren't we?! I mean they welcomed Hildebeest with open arms. If we got rid of that state and The People's Republic of California, we might gain some of our civil liberties back. Fat chance of that happening though.

[RHINO369]

On the bright side when, and i mean when because it will happen, a nuke smuggeled over our open border will explode in either NY LA Washington DC or Chicago. All places that vote in representives who want to surrender to terrorists.

[stainlessbanner]

And I for one am damn proud to do so.

Hear, Hear!

[righthand man]

But then we are talking about Noo Yawk aren't we?! I mean they welcomed Hildebeest with open arms. If we got rid of that state and The People's Republic of California, we might gain some of our civil liberties back. Fat chance of that happening though. Now that day should be made a national holiday

[smug]

Ithaca? I've always heard it pronounced Ickytha.

But, I am not surprised, government school is not the place for learning, debating, and the open exchange of idea's and thoughts. No, ist is vere ve undoctrinate goot little Nazi's. And I'd bet applaud the wearing of mexican flag shirts, Che and other such good stuff, along with the cute little "ethnic pride sashes" with their graduation gowns.

[Colt .45]

Amen brother, amen!

[stand watie]

WELL SAID!

imVho, we'd all be better off if we EXPELLED the northeastern states & the "peoples repbulik of kalifornistan" from the union.

perhaps Canada might take the NE. MEXICO will SOON have the "left coast" PERMANENTLY.

free dixie,sw

[JamesP81]

Some critics may worry that Ithaca will next ban the American flag from its schools.

Banning symbols like the stars and bars and camoflage opens wide the door for this very thing to happen. Get ready, because it's coming.

[metesky]

My father, UPenn guy, sang it like this:

High above Cayuga's ditches,
Not so far from hell
Live those dirty Sons of B_ _ _ _ _ _
Who call themselves Cornell.

[Little Ray]

No offense, but free speech, privacy, etc., shouldn't exist in school. If you go to school, you have to abide by the school rules. If they want to ban the CSA Battle Flag in school, that is fine with me. I'll wear my Hunley t-shirt at home.
Its the cr@p they teach in such schools that bothers me...

[Behind Liberal Lines]

City of Evil ping

[stand watie]

WELL SAID!

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

when you give up FREEDOM of SPEECH, ANYwhere, you endanger it EVERYwhere!

we will WIN this fight with the local school bureaucrats, as we have every other fight.

free dixie,sw

[Little Ray]

There is no freedom of speech in my home, nor is there is a right to privacy. I don't like what you say, or you bring something in I don't like, I'll ask you to leave. If you don't leave on your feet, you'll leave on a gurney. Same thing for my workplace - I don't say anything that might embarrass them or do anything disruptive or destructive. If I fail to work by their rules they can fire me.

A school is the same thing. There are rules and the students need to abide by them. Some of them are mind-bogglingly stupid. If my kids break a really stupid rule (hit a bully back, draw pictures of guns, take medicine, etc.) they might face consequences, but I'll support them - they were right and the rules were wrong.
Kids in school should have no privacy - their effects and lockers should be subject to search at the whim of the teacher and administration. No freedom speech of either - they should shut up, listen to the teacher and not disrupt their classes. Their clothing should not cause disruption either - no CSA flags, no camouflage, no belly buttons, butt cracks or cleavage sounds reasonable to me (I'd add no Mexican flags, no Che or Lenin tshirts, etc)... The school has the authority to establish its rules - if you don't like em, then send the kids somewhere else.

Once the kids get out, that is another matter. Parents should check what their kids are taught (I do) and how they're taught (I do).

[WildHorseCrash]

The rural areas of central PA have been called Northern Alabama.

... or Pennsyltucky.

[WildHorseCrash]

Can't have them learning about Southern history, or that 'governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness'

North, south, east and west-- they should all be teaching this part. As well as the "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..." part, which was unfortunately recognized more in the breach then in the practice, in the antebellum South.

[Vision]

This is not the first time that Ithaca schools have banned clothing in an effort to alleviate racial tensions. In 2004, the school banned children from wearing camouflage hunting clothing, claiming such clothing was "racist."

WTF?

[stand watie]

i'm REALLY GLADD that YOU are NOT making "the rules" for the rest of us.

the USSC has ruled over 3 decades ago that PUBLIC SCHOOLS are PUBLIC FORUMS & that FREEDOM of SPEECH may NOT be there abridged.

your HOME & PRIVATE property are NOT the same as a PUBLIC FORUM! (can't you see that those are VERY different???)

as regards FREEDOM & LIBERTY, you seemingly have a tendency toward absolutism.

free dixie,sw